Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking” in English) involves extracting oil and trapped gases in porous shale rock by injecting fluids at high pressure to fracture it.
Mexico aims to reduce its energy dependence by developing hydraulic fracturing technology on its soil, which has been criticized for its potential to extract hydrocarbons, announced the left-wing president Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday. The industry saw significant growth in the 2000s and 2010s in the United States, with President Donald Trump being a supporter of this technology. Environmental advocates have long argued that hydraulic fracturing leads to earthquakes, poses pollution risks, and has limited energy production potential.
Significant Gas Deposits
“In the world we live in, Mexico must ensure its sovereignty, and a fundamental element is energy sovereignty,” declared Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday, explaining that 75% of the gas consumed by Mexico for electricity production is imported, mainly from the United States. Mexico has significant unconventional gas deposits, primarily located in the northern part of the country. This decision breaks with the fracking ban promoted by Claudia Sheinbaum’s predecessor and mentor from the left-wing Morena party, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador (2018-2024).
Claudia Sheinbaum justified her decision by citing “new technologies” that are less polluting and “offer the possibility of recycling water and not using powerful chemicals.” She mentioned convening a panel of experts to assist in her final decision-making and expressed a desire to increase energy production from renewable sources, especially solar.
